Page 10

Chapter Eight

Niall

N iall sat at the kitchen table with Ronan as the alpha relayed their adventure at the hospital.

Sorcha’s scans had come back clear, but they’d evidently dealt with an absolute alphahole of a doctor.

The boys were already in bed when the three men returned home, and now Teal was upstairs settling Sorcha into the guestroom after insisting the younger omega stay the night with them.

“When will Sorcha’s uncles be home?” Niall asked.

“He wasn’t sure. Tomorrow or the next day.”

The beta couldn’t help but recall how many nights he’d spent in that guestroom. Although he doubted Sorcha would be slipping across the hall to Ronan and Teal’s bedroom as Niall so often had.

Then again, in only a few days, Sorcha had gone from a rarely spoken-to neighbor to someone sleeping in their home.

It was difficult not to feel replaced.

Inwardly, Niall admonished himself for being so uncharitable. He liked the young omega, he truly did, and he’d had months to get used to his platonic relationship with Ronan and Teal.

Not to mention there were more important matters at hand than Niall’s irrational possessiveness.

“Did you tell Teal what the doctor said to you?” he asked.

“No.” With a wry smile, Ronan asked, “What would be the point? Teal would only get upset, and maybe, you know, litigious.”

Niall chortled. “He would definitely start spouting fire.”

“Right. And we don’t need that in our lives right now. Teal is dealing with enough negativity as it is.”

Niall placed his hand gently on the other man’s. “You deal with it too, Ronan. Don’t go all alpha on me pretending it doesn’t bother you.”

“I’m not saying that. I could never pretend with you anyway.

” Ronan flipped his wrist, so he and Niall were palm to palm.

Niall eyed their fingers, itching to lace them as Ronan continued, “I don’t tell you enough that I…

I’m so grateful for you, Niall. That you’re here. That you stayed, even…after.”

The sincere expression on the alpha’s face captured Niall’s attention. He trembled, exhaling slowly. “No matter what changes happen in our relationship, the one thing that will never change is that we’re a good team, the three of us. I’ll always be here to support you and the kids.”

Ronan nodded. “We’re fortunate to have you. None of this would have been possible, the career strides Teal made, without having you in our corner, knowing how much you love our boys… Knowing you’re a part of our family.”

“That’s the most accurate sentence I’ve heard all day,” Teal said, breezing into the room. He smiled at Niall and Ronan’s hands. “Did I miss an important sentimental moment?” He raised his eyebrows playfully, perhaps a bit hopefully as well.

“Nothing that would require you wobbling your forehead like that,” Niall answered, getting up to sling an arm around Teal. “I’m still in love with Jax but I just reminded your husband that I’ll never stop being a friend to you both.”

Teal feigned a pout, even as years of habit had him leaning into Niall’s touch. “Lucky Jax.”

Niall forced himself to pull away. He went to the stove to put the kettle on for tea. “How is Sorcha?” he asked.

“Sleeping,” Teal said. “Finally. I swear that silly man wore himself out protesting these overnight arrangements. He kept worrying about ‘putting us out.’ As if Ronan and I would let him spend the night alone after the day he’s had.”

“We also need to wake him up every few hours tonight,” Ronan said. “Concussion protocol.”

“Yeah. But that’s just a precaution. He seems okay.” Teal appeared so relieved Niall felt a hint of his earlier jealousy resurface.

“Sounds like you have a plan,” Niall said.

He pulled out three mugs from the cupboard and began turning one over in his hands. It would be so easy to sit down with the couple and unwind.

But that wasn’t right. Sorcha was the one sleeping in the guest room upstairs. Niall didn’t share Ronan and Teal’s bed anymore. He was committed to Jax.

Almost trance-like, he put one of the mugs back in the cupboard before passing the others to the husbands. “I guess I should probably go.”

“I mean, if you have to, of course that’s fine,” Teal said.

Ronan appeared to understand the nature of Niall's conflict. “What my husband means to say is that you are always welcome here. We appreciate that you came on such short notice on a Saturday.”

“No problem. I’m glad to help Sorcha. Thank stars he’s okay.”

Niall could see in the husbands’ faces that they wanted him there. But he needed to practice stepping away from Ronan and Teal.

Yet, as he walked out the door and got into the driver’s seat of his little compact, he had the same feeling in his gut he’d had the other night. A sureness that he still belonged with this family.

It felt wrong to leave.

It felt wrong to stay.

Because as much as he loved Jax, he still loved Ronan and Teal, too.

***

Niall had time to think during the drive to Jax’s apartment.

Even if he couldn’t entirely rid himself of his attraction to the McGinns, he had full control over how he handled it.

He could love them as friends. And he would never betray Jax.

But he also knew it was past time to be honest with Jax about his history with the couple.

It was a risk. Once Jax knew, he might feel jealous or uncomfortable enough that he’d want Niall to quit being the couple’s nanny.

But Niall needed to take that chance. Not telling his boyfriend that his employers were a poly couple and that he’d been with them was starting to feel like a lie, not simply an omission.

He arrived to find Jax dozing on the couch.

“Still up?” Niall asked.

“Couldn’t sleep without you,” Jax said gruffly. He sat up, pushing his shoulder-length brown hair off his face.

Even though they’d been together almost a year, Jax’s rough-around-the-edges beauty still took Niall’s breath away. Clad only in sleep pants, Jax’s taut body and dark chest hair were on full display. He rubbed his eyes, and the colorful designs of his full sleeve tattoos caught the moonlight.

Niall's urgency to speak with Jax floated away. He strode purposely to the couch and straddled his boyfriend's lap, leaning down to whisper in his ear, “I’m glad you’re still awake.” He ground his crotch against Jax’s pajama bottoms.

Jax groaned, digging his fingers into Niall’s hips as he asked, “Is the little omega okay?”

Niall’s hands roamed over Jax’s torso. “Sorcha. He needed stitches and he’ll have a headache, but he’s fine.” Niall ran his tongue over the tattoo on Jax’s left pec, a mix of an infinity symbol and the letter B with an arrow going through it. The mark stood for beta pride.

“I’m glad he’s okay. I know you’re fond of him.”

“True. But since he’s alright, maybe let’s stop talking about him for tonight, m’kay?” Niall trailed his mouth down Jax’s abs before going to his knees in front of him.

Jax huffed a laugh and bit his lower lip, tilting his head back onto the cushion. “Remind me to always wait up for you.”

With slow precision, Niall tugged on Jax’s pajama pants until he’d removed them. He then wasted no time getting his mouth on Jax’s cock.

Jax hissed as Niall sucked hard on the tip of his dick. He reached down to curl his palm over the crown of Niall’s head.

“Tighter,” Niall demanded. “I want to feel you pull it.”

Threading his fingers through Niall’s short hair, Jax clutched firmly. Niall winced with pleasure.

Niall sucked the head of Jax’s cock, licking circles around the slit.

Jax groaned and attempted to push Niall further down the shaft.

Niall pulled off. “Uh-uh-uh,” he teased, moving his pointer finger back and forth.

He flicked his tongue along the sensitive underside before mouthing the crown again.

“Tormentor.” Jax smiled down at him, gripping his hair harder. “Suck me for real.”

Niall winked. His hands moved up Jax’s chest as he swooped down to deep throat him in one smooth motion.

“Fuck!” Jax cried out, ass arching off the couch as Niall bobbed up and down.

“Fuck, that’s so good, Nigh… Just like that.

” He pumped his hips, breath coming in short pants.

“Yeah, just like that… Relax for me. Let me fuck your mouth.” As always, his boyfriend’s pleading commands shot straight to Niall’s dick.

Controlling and needy all at once. He throbbed in his pants as he sucked Jax harder.

“It’s so good, Nigh. So good,” Jax stammered.

“I’ve got a big load… Just waiting to shoot down your throat. ”

Humming, Niall hollowed his cheeks. He removed his shirt—thankfully a button-down so he never had to come up for air—but ignored his own erection, even as it threatened to erupt untouched.

He loved when Jax talked dirty, loved how the words felt spontaneous, as though his taciturn boyfriend couldn’t help turning into a filthy sex god whenever things got physical.

“Coming,” Jax bit out, gripping the sides of Niall’s head with both hands as he moved his erection in and out of his mouth. Niall closed his eyes and reveled in the feeling of Jax using him.

A moment later, the salty taste of cum landed on his tongue, and he swallowed diligently, catching most of Jax’s release.

He held some in his mouth, and as Jax slumped back against the cushion, spent and sated, Niall spit the cum into his hand.

Standing quickly, he pushed his pants down and used the warm release as lube to stroke himself.

It didn’t take long. After less than a minute, he was streaming white ropes onto Jax’s chest. Niall shot four times before collapsing on top of his boyfriend, cementing them together.

Jax rolled them until they lay on their sides, sticky chests still touching. “That was dirty,” he said, kissing Niall sweetly on the nose. “Perfect and hot. But dirty.”

It had been perfect, Niall thought. Their sex life was always that way—playful and trusting, pushing the limits without stepping over either of their boundaries.

It made him feel even more conflicted about his lingering feelings for Ronan and Teal.

Why wasn’t his connection with Jax enough to erase his pull to the couple?

He wondered if he was broken in some way.

Not broken, an inner voice protested. Maybe just built differently.

Privately, Ronan and Teal referred to themselves as polyamorous.

Niall had never applied that label to himself, even though Jax was his first foray into monogamy.

Niall assumed he’d been non-monogamous by circumstance, not preference.

He’d always figured he’d settle into a one-to-one relationship once he grew up a bit. Now he wasn’t so sure.

He and Jax needed to talk about it. But not covered in cum.

“Want to shower together?” Niall asked.

“Probably a good idea. We smell like a heat hotel.”

Niall arched an eyebrow. “And you would know this how?” Few betas ventured into heat hotels, other than the rare ones partnered with omegas.

“Fine.” Jax snorted. “We smell like how I imagine a heat hotel would smell.”

Niall smiled. Placing a gentle hand on Jax’s wrist, he asked, “Are you awake enough to talk after we get cleaned up? I had something I wanted to speak to you about before I got distracted by your gorgeous body.”

Jax’s cheek ticked up. “Yeah, I’m good.” He rubbed a hand across his jaw before adding, “There’s actually something I need to discuss with you too.”

His serious tone put Niall on alert. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah.” Jax scraped his hand along his jaw. “But I don’t think you’re gonna like it.”